This Old Man
by Karashi
Summary: [INCOMPLETE] An experimental fanfic regarding the "monsters" in Ragnarok, please R&R if you have time
1. Chapter One

This Old Man

by Karashi

Disclaimers: All the characters in this fic is copyright of Karashi, if there are any similarities between my characters and actual characters, it is purely coincidental. The game Ragnarok Online and anything related to it belongs to the Creators of Ragnarok.

Chapter One  
  
            In the midst of a decaying forest, a creature struggled to survive in the dead of night. Unmindful of the briar patches that clawed at its skin, heedless of the pain in its bloody feet, it ran as if possessed. Adrenaline surged in every vein and only one thing was on its mind… escape.  
            Yes, it had to escape them. Them, the group that chased it, those who hungered for the taste of virginal flesh. It sped through the dark woods, unconcerned of the wild beasts that roamed the forest. Right then, the idea of being torn apart by a monster was much more appealing.  
            The creature was gradually tiring, its vision grew hazy, its lungs burned like wild fire, and to its horror, it was slowing down. A gauntleted hand grabbed it by the shoulder and yanked it to the ground. The wind was knocked out of it, rendering the creature momentarily stunned. It blinked away the spots in its eyes and saw five figures overhead.  
            Calloused hands gripped the creature's luxurious mane, as their hot breath scalded its smooth, pale skin. They grunted to each other in tones that sent waves of dread down its spine. Its whimper for mercy was muffled by the shriek of ripping fabric.  
            Harsh, maniacal laughter rang throughout the dark, rotting woods. They found delight in its suffering, and they sought to extract as much pain as possible. Sharp, deadly blades glistened in the moonlight and reflected the malice and lust in their eyes. Without warning, the faceless shadows descended.  
            And the creature screamed.  
  
            The five got to their feet as they sheathed their swords and buckled their belts. None gave the pitiful thing that lay discarded on the blood-drenched earth a second glance. All that mattered was their hunt-turned-tryst had been a most enjoyable one. They were laughing triumphantly, taking only a few steps away from the dying creature.  
            "Lively one we had tonight, eh?" the scrawny one sniggered to his companions.  
            "Aye, that be a mighty fine prey." The arrogant one nodded.  
            "We should have paced ourselves, you know? Saved some for tomorrow." The burly one rubbed his chin.  
            "Does it really matter? We can find some fiesty harlot back in Geffen." The lithe one licked his lips in anticipation.  
            "Still not satisfied?" the bawdy one snickered.  
            "It's not that I just…" he trailed off.  
            "What is it?" the  scrawny man asked.  
            "Can you not hear it?"   
            "Hear what?"  
            "Typical, a man who's as deaf as he is brawny." The arrogant man rolled his eyes. "Hooves, you dolt."  
            "So a knight decides to travel by moonlight on his Peco-Peco, I've heard of stranger tales."  
            "It's not a Peco-Peco." The lithe one hissed. "It's a Nightmare."  
            "Are you serious?!?"  
            Before anyone could reply, a large shadow loomed before them. Their jaws dropped open in shock, for the demonic horse was drawing a coach. The driver wore a cowled robe, covering his face. But the clothing could not hide the glistening slivers imbedded in his arms and legs. Wordlessly, the driver released the reigns binding the Nightmare to the coach. And with a flurry of hellfire, the Nightmare attacked the five men.   
            The burly one barely had enough time to draw his sword as the demonic horse bit down into his jugular. Razor teeth ripped away flesh, and a fountain of blood spewed from the man's throat. The other four stood in horror as the Nightmare took a mouthful of their companion's crotch.  
            A terrified scream caused the fiery monster to look up as the arrogant one sliced down. The steel harmlessly passed through the Nightmare, apparently he forgot this monster could only be harmed by the elements. He paid for his mistake by having his skull crushed beneath the demonic horse's hooves.  
            The lithe one tried to run, but the driver dismounted from his seat and drove his slivers into the man's face. Unintelligible words flowed from the man's mouth, and in annoyance, he dragged the shards downards until he reached the stomach. The hooded figure twisted his arms and yanked his limbs away, tearing up his victim's internal organs in the process.  
            Foolishly, the remaining two tried to attack the driver. Their swords were prepared to slice away, but the Nightmare tackled them. With unimaginable strength, the demonic horse pinned them to the ground with its hooves. It brought its fiery eyes close to their faces, the sulfuric gas that filtered from its mouth suffocating them. Before either man could fall unconscious from the stench, they had their faces torn off and their sternums splintered.  
            The demonic steed gave a triumphant neigh before it began to greedily devour the men. The driver cleaned himself off with the lithe one's garments before he approached the eating animal. Gentle pats and praises were enough to calm the beast, but then its nostrils flared once more. The Nightmare smelled something else and it tugged at the driver until it spied the dying creature.  
            "What is going on Schyll?" a voice from the coach demanded, "Are you losing control of Cupcake?"  
            "No master, but she seems to have found another body." The driver answered. "Shall I feed it to her?"  
            "You know as well as I that my sweet darling refuses to eat anything that she didn't kill."  
            "What are we to do with it then, master?"  
            "Bring it to me and I'll decide what to do."  
            Schyll picked up the broken creature, his slivers dug into its flesh, and its body stiffened in pain. Cupcake trotted behind him amiably, nibbling on the dying thing's fingers, not quite caring that her saliva could burn flesh.  
            The master took one look at what the driver held in his arms, "We bring it with us back home. I believe it can be of some use to me."  
            "As you wish."  
  
  


This old man, he played one  
He played Knick-Knack on my thumb 


	2. Chapter Two

Disclaimers: All the characters in this fic is copyright of Karashi, if there are any similarities between my characters and actual characters, it is purely coincidental. The game Ragnarok Online and anything related to it belongs to the Creators of Ragnarok  
  
Chapter Two  
  
            Lilac eyes opened to the sight of a dark room as slender fingers ran through blonde ringlets. She blinked in surprise at the thin gossamer strings wound tightly on her arms, even more so on the odd striations on her elbows and wrists. Goosebumps prickled her olive skin as the faded pink dress she wore barely reached her knees. She untied the thin cords and unsteadily got to her bare feet.  
            "Where… am I?" she wondered as she scanned her surroundings. The blonde tried her best to remember the events that passed, but all she could recall was haze. She was exhausted, though she didn't quite know why. She barely took a few steps from her cot when her leg suddenly gave way. With a clatter, she collapsed onto her back on the cold, stone floor.   
            The impact caused the haze in her mind to dissipate, and visions to flash before her eyes. Visions of eyes that watched her every move, of running through a dark forest, of figures silhouetted in sickly moonlight, of swords made of flesh that drove into her and tore her apart from within…  
            Bile rose in the back of her throat, as she fought to bury the memories. Panic surged through her body, as questions screamed in her mind. Where did they take her? Do they intend to ransom her to her parents? What had she done to deserve this? The acrid taste of these questions forced rage into her system. And in her fury, she rammed her small frame against the metal door. The portal creaked open to reveal a blackened limestone hallway. Wasting no time, she bolted outside to make her escape.  
            While the cold floor stung her bare feet, she had the consolation that they were no longer bleeding. Still, she could feel odd textured stones scrape at her soles, and then she heard an ominous crack. She halted, scared at what she might see should she look down at her feet. Did she break her ankle? Was she bleeding again? Why didn't she feel anything? Upon closer inspection, she realized the stones she had been stepping on were in fact human skulls.  
            The entire hallway was littered with bones, rusting weapons and other human remnants. They had all been picked clean of flesh, muscle and tissue. Only the dust covered garments and protective armor remained on them. The gravity of the situation suddenly became apparent to the lilac eyed one. Whoever or whatever lived here did not seem to like humans, at least _living_ ones.  
            She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to forget what she just saw. She made her way along the limestone corridor quietly, doing her best not to look down. In uneasy silence she continued, half-dreading, half-expecting a horrendous monster would appear and mow her down.   
            Child-like giggles suddenly broke her thoughts, and the blonde stopped in her tracks. She tried to peer through the darkness, maybe there were others like her. Other who were lost and scared, who were kidnapped for some sick unknown purpose. But there was nothing, no movement, no cause for alarm, nothing but deathly stillness and unearthly silence. Maybe in her paranoia, she was imagining things?  
            'Yes, that has to be it.' She told herself, swallowing a scream in the process. 'It's all in my mind.' Somehow, she didn't feel quite reassured, especially when she began to hear unintelligible whispers and knowing snickers. There came a rattling of chains, steel ringing against stone, and an  almost inaudible growl of hunger.  
            Terror was gradually building up in her chest. Her logic dictated she should remain calm and continue in silence. But her instincts demanded she make a break for it, to Hel with making a noise. The two sides warred with each other as she remained rooted to the spot. In the end, she broke into a blind run.   
            The moment she bolted, her imaginary pursuit became real. Shadowy figures of armor and swords glided after the blonde, and the clattering of hooves joined shortly after. Rustling pages and wind whipping against cloth were added to the growing cacophony of inhuman sounds.  
            She rounded a sharp corner, her bare feet pounding against the floor to the rhythm of her frantic heartbeat. She had the strangest sensation of flying, but she attributed this hallucination to her unbridled fear. The blonde had been running for quite some time, and fatigue began to wear her down.   
            It was then she noticed the sounds chasing her had considerably softened. Maybe they gave up? She risked a quick glance behind her, and in that instant tripped on a furry object. She was flung head-first into an open chest where its lid fell firmly onto her torso.   
            In the sour darkness of the container, she could make out a pair of red eyes staring into her own. An ominous gleam shone in those orbs as the top was once again raised. She turned her attention to the lid and found it was lined with rotting human meat. A shriek emerged from the blonde's lips as the cover was brought down onto her.  
            A pair of hands roughly pulled her out of the Mimic's mouth just as it was about to clamp shut. She clattered onto the floor, with her posterior cushioning the impact. Whatever remained of her strength decided to flee from her body. She remained motionless while drinking in the furnishings of the large antechamber. Her gaze soon fell upon her savior, and lilac eyes widened at the slivers impaled on his arms, shoulders and legs.  
            "What do you think you're doing, Ferro?" the Injustice demanded as he struck the demonic chest. "Didn't the master specifically tell us we are to treat this special guest with respect?"  
            "Sorry, sir. Ferro no know _thing_ was guest! Thought it was just stupid human."  
            "You are to be punished for this."  
            "No, please mercy! Ferro was hungry! No think tha-"  
            The Injustice did not care to listen to the Mimic's excuse as he slashed Ferro into splinters. A dark haired woman holding a broom arrived as she adjusted her white apron. She took one look at the remnants of the Mimic and shook her head.  
            "Wasn't that a little harsh, Sir Schyll?" asked the demi-human as she began to sweep. "Mimics are usually too preoccupied about their stomachs to be thinking straight. And it isn't as if Ferro could really harm the master's guest. What with his kind having no elemental alignment that is."  
            "That's beside the point, Ashley." Schyll answered gravely. "See to it that the other Mimics are aware that the master does not tolerate disobedience."  
            "Yes, Sir Schyll." The Alice bowed.  
            "And that goes for the rest of you." The Injustice yelled out into the darkness. "Ignorance is _not_ an excuse!" When silence greeted him, Schyll's expression turned ugly. "Do you understand!!" he bellowed.  
            "Sir, yes sir!" several Raydrics, Khalitzburgs and Mysteltainns rattled.  
            "Very good, and what say the furry ones?"  
            "We get the point, Sir Schyll." A Deviruchi chuckled, waving his miniature trident in the air for emphasis.  
            "Will it apologize for stepping on my head?" a goat-like creature demanded, in a gruff tone that did not quite match its small size.  
            "You shouldn't have been sleeping there in the first place, runt." A Rideword sneered.  
            The blonde could not help but stare, while monster after monster emerged from the hallways joining into the antechamber. The Injustice named Schyll approached her, and she instinctively cringed as he brought a hand to her.  
            "Don't hurt me." She pleaded.  
            "On behalf of my master, allow me to apologize. Your awakening came as a surprise, we didn't expect you to rise for another two human months."  
            "Two… months? How… how long have I been asleep?" she blinked.  
            "Nearly an equivalent of a human year."  
            "What?" she gasped, suddenly rising. "What is going on here?! What happened to me?"   
            "The master is currently away, but he will return in two months to explain everything. In the meantime, he has left Glast Heim Castle under my care."  
            "G-Glast Heim?!" she shrieked, "No human has ever survived in such a place."  
            "Oh my, it doesn't know?" a Joker trilled in sadistic delight. Some of the monsters who heard this declaration began to laugh.  
            "Don't know what?" the blonde demanded in a mixture of anger and dread.   
            "That you're no longer a human."

**                             This old man, he played two**

**                         He played Knick-Knack on my shoe**


End file.
